Overexpression of SIP1 and Downregulation of E-cadherin Predict Delayed Neck Metastasis in Stage I/II Oral Tongue Squamous Cell Carcinoma After Partial Glossectomy

Background Patients with clinical stage I/II (T1–2N0M0) oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC) usually undergo partial glossectomy alone. However, 14–48% of them develop delayed neck metastasis (DNM), which may lead to an unfavorable course. Recently epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been thought to play a crucial role in cancer metastasis. The present study aimed to examine the associations of EMT-involved molecular factors and clinicopathological factors with DNM in stage I/II TSCC.